Text-to-voice synthesis technology provides the ability to convert arbitrary text into audible speech. Accordingly, this technology may be used to provide textual information to people via voice messages. These voice messages can prove especially useful in applications where audible output is a preferable form of user feedback when interacting with a communication device. For example, this feature is extremely useful when receiving text messages on the communication device while the user is driving.
With the proliferation of wireless communication devices, including personal digital assistants, smart cellular telephones, portable computers, two-way pagers and the like, the need is growing for providing the user of a wireless communication device with a means for providing textual information to people via voice messages.
However, current systems generally use a single pre-selected voice to present the voice messages for presenting all incoming text messages in an audible format. This limitation may present several issues, which are described as follows.
Presenting all incoming text messages using a single voice will likely result in a monotonous tone for the voice message. Accordingly, it may be difficult for the user of the device user (referred to as “the user”) to properly interpret the message the first time it is heard. Further, it may be difficult for the device user to focus on the message, which may cause the device user to subconsciously ignore portions of the message. Therefore, the purpose or idea behind the message may not be properly interpreted.
Additionally, the device user may confuse content from different messages. Since a single voice presents different voice messages, there is no easy way for the device user to distinguish between different messages.
Also, the sender's personality is not represented vocally. For example, an email from a quick and anxious person is typically presented in the monotonous and is not distinguishable from a message received from a person who is soft and calm.
All of the above issues affect the way the user responds to the incoming message. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least some of the above-mentioned disadvantages.